Pitti Uomo 88 sees decline in Italian buyer numbers, growth in attendance from most foreign countries

By

Edoardo Meliado

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Jan 21, 2019

The 88th edition of the Pitti Bimbo childrenswear show, held in Florence on January 17-19 2019, was visited by over 6,400 buyers, out of nearly 10,000 visitors altogether. Buyer numbers from Spain, again the largest contingent, were up, as did those from Greece, Belgium, Poland and Saudi Arabia. The number of Italian buyers was instead down again, by 9%. 

“While we were expecting the number of Italian buyers to decrease, the stability and in some cases the rise in the number of overseas buyers - a year ago they were 2,450 - are truly important signals right now, and further confirm the show’s international leadership within the children’s fashion and contemporary lifestyle industry,” said the CEO of show organiser Pitti Immagine, Raffaello Napoleone.
 
The number of buyers from strategic childrenswear markets like France, the UK and Turkey was stable, surprisingly on par with the remarkable numbers posted at the show’s last winter edition.

There were fewer Russian and Ukrainian visitors, though on the whole more than expected, given the worsening economic situation and geopolitical scenario in those countries. The number of German buyers also fell.
 
“The results for the show's three days exceeded expectations, and the consensus among exhibitors is that their work was very satisfactory on many fronts: from the collections’ creativity to the search for modern designs that are compatible with the latest ecological and social feelings, to the pledge to sustain quality while stabilising prices, and the ability to navigate the constantly changing international markets,” added Napoleone. “Our commercial team was able to highlight all these features, carefully segmenting the show’s exhibitors by product and company type, and tweaking the exhibition area’s layout. This is the best possible response to a mood which is increasingly sombre, with a series of negative forecasts for growth, consumption expenditure and international trade,” said Napoleone.
 
Pitti Bimbo 88 showcased 553 exhibitors, of which 60% came from outside Italy, with 152 between come-backs and new exhibitors. The show’s previous edition was attended by 6,870 buyers, of which approximately 45% from outside Italy.